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Reading through Galatians
Reading through Galatians
Jesus changes things! In particular, he defines how people are to be acceptable unto God.
Who are the children of God? Who are acceptable with God? Who are walking in fellowship with God? Such questions were not simple questions in the first century as the people learned to be disciples of Jesus. Were they to believe in Jesus AND follow the law of Moses? Were they to be baptized but then also to be circumcised? Were they now free from ALL law and codes of conduct? Unfortunately, such questions were not academic in the first century as they all had their advocates.
Paul, as an apostle chosen by God to reveal the truth concerning Jesus, writes this letter, as he does all of his letters, so that WE, when we read it, can understand HIS insight into the story of Jesus (Eph. 3:1-5).
His message was an inspired revelation from God and could not be changed with impunity, even by Peter (1:8-9; 2:11-14). By outlining the history of his own conversion and early preaching (chapters 1-2), Paul shows that this message came NOT by or through men (including Peter or the other apostles), but by revelation directly from God.
He then spends 2 chapters on the core of this message: Salvation is found in relationship to Jesus and NOT in relationship to the law of Moses (ch. 3-4). The story of Jesus is the eternal story and purpose of God. It is in relationship to Jesus that we become children of God, children of Abraham, and heirs of the promise (3:26-29). In Jesus we find forgiveness, reconciliation, acceptance, holiness, and righteousness with God. In Jesus believers are both free from the law and dead to the law, but alive unto God.
Are followers of Christ then free from ALL law? Of course not. Are there no rules of conduct? Of course there are. The revelation of our salvation in Christ also includes revelation on how we are to conduct ourselves as disciples. We dare not turn the grace of our Lord into an occasion of a lascivious and an uncontrolled lifestyle. Hence chapters 5 and 6 (and the last half of ch. 4).
When the true knowledge of Jesus entered his life, it changed everything for Paul. It changed his whole understanding of life, purpose, friends, and worship. In short, he died unto himself and lived the rest of his life serving Jesus (2:19-20). He spent the rest of his life preaching the good news that in Jesus we are reconciled unto God and find forgiveness for all our sins. He died as a martyr for this change.
Have YOU found this in Jesus? How big an impact has his story made upon your life?
Hugh DeLong
